


Three Years

by Unicorn_BadAss



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Military, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11808531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unicorn_BadAss/pseuds/Unicorn_BadAss
Summary: After dating for two years, Waverly and Nicole were forced to spend time apart when the Military called Nicole for deployment to fight the war in Iraq. With the promise of coming home in less than a year, Nicole was able to leave the Earp Homestead with the same amount of hope in her heart as Waverly. Waverly and Nicole wrote to each other every day for the first few months, when training kept Nicole off the battlefield.Now, almost three years later and no word from Nicole in two years, Waverly grows depressed at the thought of spending another Christmas without her love. When Wynonna tries to get Waverly to take care of herself, just days before Christmas, it takes everything in Wynonna not to spill the beans.





	Three Years

**Author's Note:**

> *Disclaimer* I do not own any rights to the Wynonna Earp plot, characters, or ideas from the television show. The purpose of this Fan-fiction is to help heal the hearts of many Earpers after 2x10

Sitting in the corner of her living room with a photo album in her hands, Waverly felt tears fall down her face harder with each memory streaming out of the photographs. Carefully allowing her fingers to glide against each picture individually, Waverly took deep breaths in attempts to calm her heart as she tries to remember the sound of Nicole's voice. Just a little over three years passed since the last time Waverly had been able to run her fingers through Nicole's hair, since Waverly kissed the woman she loved. Almost two years had passed since the last letter Waverly received from Nicole, explaining the growing urgency of the war.

Waverly thought back to the last time she felt Nicole's lips against her own, on the steps of the Homestead, before warmth had been replaced with emptiness. The memory of begging Nicole not to leave for fear of losing her startled Waverly against the wall of the living room. Tears began flowing in a steady stream from puffy, red eyes down her cheek, before dropping onto Waverly's shirt. Running out of tissues almost an hour prior, Waverly didn't want to put the effort forth to grab more: instead, she allowed her shirt to grow wet and cold.

**...**

_"Nicole please don't take another step away from home... our home. I can't risk losing you after everything we have already been through with the curse... Please just stay here with me," Waverly pleaded as she stood in the doorway of the Homestead. She knew this day would come sooner or later, since Nicole told her about the possibility of deployment growing as time passed since enlisting and completing boot camp. Nonetheless, Waverly would never be ready to watch Nicole pack a single bag before slowly walking out of the house towards her car._

_Moving to the steps at the edge of the porch, Waverly felt her heartbreak hopelessly as Nicole put her bag in the back seat of her car before staring at the ground. Neither woman wanted to leave the other to sleep alone, to leave the other with the possibility of never getting to wake up next to each other again. But Nicole couldn't go against her orders from the military, no matter how much she regretted enlisting before ever meeting Waverly. If Nicole could take back the exact moment she signed the papers to enlist, she would in order to save Waverly's heart._

_"Waverly, Baby, I wish I could stay here with you forever... Never have to miss a moment with you... But we both know I have to go, otherwise, we know the consequences. My superior said I should be back home in less than a year, meaning I will get to come back to you in less than a year," Nicole started replying gently while walking towards Waverly. Once Nicole finished the distance between her car and Waverly, she moved her hand to softly caress Waverly's cheek. "I love you, Waverly Earp, with every fiber inside of myself. You complete me in ways I never knew were possible and you have shown me how powerful love can be. I promise on my life I will come back to you."_

_Not finding any words to express the things she wanted to reply with, Waverly surged forward to connect her lips with Nicole's with as much passion as her heart could give in that moment. With their lips dancing together as if they had been made to fit each other, Nicole and Waverly felt so much emotion fall into the small space between them. Time appeared to slow around them, as if a silent gift from the universe in order to help Nicole and Waverly find a way to say goodbye._

_When the feeling of Waverly's tears hit her cheeks, Nicole pulled away from the kiss before running to her car as tears of her own collided against Waverly's. Nicole knew if she heard Waverly's cries to stay anymore, she wouldn't be able to leave the Homestead. So she started her car and pulled out of the driveway as fast as she could, holding onto the lingering feeling of Waverly's lips against her own. Nicole spent the entire time in her car trying to memorize Waverly's face and the way she smiled each morning._

**...**

Waverly broke down into a heart-wrenching cry after remembering the sound of Nicole's tires squealing against the pavement, as her car slowly disappeared from view. Throwing the photo album across the room hard enough to cause a small hole to appear in the opposite wall, Waverly began cursing out of anger and sadness, begging for Nicole to be brought back to her. The feeling of waking up to an empty bed, which had lost the scent of Nicole a long time ago, clawed at Waverly's heart and soul.

Hitting the back of her head against the wall, Waverly failed to hear the front door to the Homestead open and close before Wynonna quickly ran into the living room. For three years, Wynonna did her best to comfort Waverly, to reassure her Nicole would keep her promise of coming home. For three years, Wynonna tried to make sure Waverly continued taking care of herself against the aching of her heart. However, the task of protecting Waverly from herself grew harder with each passing day.

"Waverly! Baby-girl, I need you to focus on me right now... Please just listen to the sound of my voice above anything else and take a deep breath," Wynonna begged softly as she pulled Waverly into her arms. This had not been the first time Wynonna came back to the Homestead before finding Waverly in the middle of battling a panic attack; some being worse in regards to intensity than others. "I can't say when Nicole will be back, because no one actually knows. But if anyone is fighting to get back home, I promise Nicole is fighting the most baby-girl."

Feeling the rhythm of Waverly's breathing start to slow down, Wynonna loosened her grip on the youngest Earp in order to give her room to breath. Letting out a silent sigh in relief, Wynonna stood up before helping Waverly off the floor.  _Just keep being the strong Waverly I know you are. Nicole loves you so much and she would die before not being able to make it back home to you. Hell, if I knew a way, Waverly, I would go get her myself so you could start feeling emotions other than pain again._

"You know Waverly, Christmas is in a few days and I know the rest of our friends and Family would love to see you this year in better shape than you were last year," Wynonna commented carefully, hoping she didn't trigger something inside of Waverly. Christmas the previous year had not gone according to plan, as Waverly needed to be hospitalized due to lack of proper sleep, stress, and other things. Even though Wynonna tried to be strong for her sister, she broke down in her Aunt's arms after seeing Waverly in the hospital bed.

Wynonna finally broke last Christmas after seeing Waverly in the hospital because she thought all her efforts to help Waverly make it through the rough time in her life had not been enough. The thought of losing her sister to the depression that consumed her after watching Nicole leave caused so much fear to rise in Wynonna, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Even though Wynonna knew Nicole Haught was the toughest person in her life, besides Waverly, her mind also held the same fears as Waverly. The fear of Nicole not coming home.

"I think I will just stay in my room this year Wynonna... I don't want to be a burden or possibly ruin the holiday for everyone again," Waverly replied softly as she walked with Wynonna towards the bathroom.

"Waverly... Holidays with the family are not the same unless we have you too. Please let me help you these next few days. And if Christmas comes and time with our family and friends is not helping, then I will tell everyone to go home so we can watch Disney movies in your room the rest of the night," Wynonna pleaded to her sister.  _I hope she knows I am not joking about telling people to leave if she gets uncomfortable. Aunt Gus would help me do it before starting the popcorn in the microwave._

Not wanting to fight or cause more issues with Wynonna, Waverly let out a sigh before shaking her head. Wynonna smiled gently at her sister, saying small promises about staying by Waverly's side on Christmas or making sure she would be as comfortable as possible that day. However, Waverly simply stared off into the distance while continuing walking with Wynonna before they reached the bathroom. Her thoughts were plagued with attempts to remember the small details of Nicole's face.

Fresh tears began pouring from Waverly's eyes as the attempt of remembering the love of her life suddenly seemed harder than it ever had in the past.

**...**

"How is she doing today?" Aunt Gus asked Wynonna after walking through the door to the kitchen area. The sound of light chatter between various people filled the walls of the Homestead, sometimes catching Wynonna's attention. Carefully looking through the door to where Waverly had been standing while talking to Chrissy Nedley, Wynonna took a deep breath hoping another friend would help break through the wall Waverly built. Wynonna felt a smile form on her face when her eyes landed on Waverly's "ugly sweater" that had been covered in snowmen throwing lights at reindeer.

"Waverly is doing the best she can with... everything. I just hate seeing her with the wall she's built in order to be around people again," Wynonna replied. Taking a sip of the fruit punch in her cup in attempts to not get caught, Wynonna continued staring at Waverly interacting with Chrissy. Knowing the interaction between the two girls had been their first in months, Wynonna left Waverly's side in order to give a sense of privacy and to grab a drink from the kitchen.  _There's only so much she can talk about with me before needing to speak to someone else._

"Do you think it is time?" Aunt Gus questioned quietly, not wanting to alert anyone else within a hearing distance. Glancing up towards the old clock hanging above the stove, Wynonna noticed the time finally reached seven at night. Since Waverly managed to last over four hours around her family and friends without wanting to hide away yet, Wynonna nodded her head quickly, knowing Waverly's anxiety could get worse at any moment now. Even after a couple days of pep-talking and helping Waverly get ready for the holiday, Wynonna understood her sister would only be able to make it so long.

Watching as Aunt Gus left the kitchen before going outside, Wynonna finished the rest of her fruit punch prior to taking a single breath.  _I am praying this goes well. Because if not, I don't know how I will be able to help Waverly again._ Wynonna started walking towards Waverly and Chrissy, giving the sheriff's daughter the signal they had been practicing for weeks. Listening as Chrissy told Waverly she had to go check on her father, Wynonna wrapped her arm around Waverly's waist before walking towards the open area by the door.

Waverly opened her mouth, about to question Wynonna's actions and change in behavior, before the sound of knocking on the door interrupted not only Waverly's train of thought, but also the chatter within the house. Looking at her sister with a confused expression, Waverly rolled her eyes when Wynonna simply shrugged her shoulders. When moving to open the door, Waverly stopped with her hand on the handle as all eyes focused their attention on her, causing her heart to start beating harder.

Silence thickened the air around everyone in the Homestead and Waverly as her anxiety started causing her lungs to have issues breathing. Noticing a panicked expression forming on Waverly's face, Wynonna placed her hand over Waverly's on the door before offering a comforting and encouraging smile. Wynonna helped Waverly slowing turn the doorknob before letting go so her sister could open the door the rest of the way. Taking a step back, Wynonna pulled out her phone and hit the record button.

The moment the door to the Homestead opened enough to reveal the person who knocked, Waverly started crying uncontrollably as she slid to the floor shaking her head. Wynonna stepped forward to not only pull the door open the rest of the way (so everyone else could see the reason for Waverly's reaction) but also to place a comforting hand on Waverly's shoulder. Still shaking her head, Waverly refused to look up in fear the sight would suddenly disappear from her eyes.  _This can't be happening... I am only dreaming..._

"Waverly, Baby, please look at me. You don't have to cry because I promise I am really here, right in front of you," Waverly heard Nicole say gently. Slowly looking up, Waverly saw Nicole kneeling down on one knee in the doorway with a small Sapphire ring in her hand. The next thing Waverly noticed about Nicole had been the uniform she was wearing: the Dress Blue uniform for the marine corps. "I am so sorry baby that it took me so long to get back to you. I never gave up on my promise a single day I was gone and there are so many things I wish I could say. With the way I felt each day, knowing I wasn't with you, I can't even begin to imagine the way you felt all this time.

But Waverly, I never stopped fighting my way back to you because you are the only reason I wake up in the morning and breath. Without you Waverly, I would not be the person I am today: I would not have known true happiness because I only know it with you. There were days when I was gone when the thought of giving up crept to the back of my mind... But then I saw your face in my memories and it filled me up with strength again. I'm so sorry Baby that I was gone for so long and I want to make it up to you in every way possible. And this is where it starts.

Waverly Earp, my love, will you make me the happiest woman alive and spend the rest of your life with me... Will you marry me?"

Jumping from her position on the floor, Waverly wrapped Nicole in the tightest hug possible as tears continued streaming down her face. Connecting their lips for the first time in three years sent butterflies up into Waverly's stomach as fireworks erupted within her head. Nicole kissed Waverly with the same amount of passion and intensity as she did three years ago, never wanting to forget the feeling of Waverly's lips. Pulling away from the kiss in need of air, Waverly leaned her forehead against Nicole's as a smile formed across her lips.

"Yes, Nicole Haught. I would marry you in a heartbeat."

 


End file.
